Effects of music stimulus on behavior response,cortisol level,and horizontal immunity of growing pigs

An enriched environment is widely used to improve domestic animals’ welfare and promote their natural behaviors. Music can reduce abnormal behavior in humans, nonhuman primates, and rodents. However, little is known about the effects of music on pigs. This study aims to explore the effects of repeated music stimulation on the behavior, physiology, and immunity of growing pigs. A total of 72 hybrid piglets (Large White × Duroc × Minpig) were randomly divided into three groups, including music (Mozart K.448, 60 to 70 dB), noise (recorded mechanical noise, 80 to 85 dB), and control (natural background sound, <40 dB), and 6 h sound stimulation was given per day (1000 to 1600 hours) from 40 to 100 d of age. The behavioral activities of the pigs were observed during the music stimulation, and their serum cortisol, salivary cortisol, and serum immune indices were also measured. Compared with the control group, the music group and noise group increased activity but decreased lying of pigs (P < 0.05). A significant increase in tail-wagging, playing, and exploring behaviors of pigs was found in the music group (P < 0.05), and the noise significantly increased the aggressive behavior of the pigs (P < 0.05). Tail-wagging, playing, exploring, manipulating, and aggressive behaviors decreased over time. Short-term (8 d) music stimulus had a lower cortisol level than that of the noise and control groups (P < 0.05), whereas long-term (60 d) music stimulus increased immunoglobulin G (IgG), interleukin-2 (IL-2), and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) levels (P < 0.05) and decreased interleukin-4 (IL-4) level (P < 0.05). Long-term noise stimulus significantly reduced the level of IgG (P < 0.05) but did not affect the level of IL-2, IL-4, and IFN-γ levels (P > 0.05). In conclusion, short-term music stimulus (8 d) reduced the stress response, whereas long-term music stimulus (60 d) enhanced the immune responses. In addition, the noise increased the aggressive behavior, and long-term noise reduced the immunity of the growing pigs.     

天津春稻和麦茬稻品质特性比较

以天津市培育的优质小站稻品种津川1号和隆优619为供试材料,分析了春稻和麦茬稻品质特性的差异。结果表明,津川1号作麦茬稻的整精米率明显低于作春稻,而垩白粒率显著高于春稻;津川1号麦茬稻的蛋白质含量明显偏高,食味值显著低于春稻;隆优619作春稻和麦茬稻无论在外观、加工、食味还是营养品质方面均无显著差异,是较理想的麦茬连作品种。     

Bamboo NiR gene is associated with regeneration capacity

It was reported that the activity of NiR (nitrite reductase) enzyme encoded by the NiR gene was correlated with the regeneration ability in rice. To testify the function of NiR gene in bamboo, seven bamboo species whose calli had different differentiation rate were chosen to analyse their NiR enzyme activity. The results showed that bamboo NiR enzymatic activity had a certain correlation with the regeneration capacity. A NiR gene named DhNiR from Dendrocalamus hamiltonii with high regeneration capacity was cloned. Sequence analysis revealed that the ORF of DhNiR was 1779bp encoding 592 amino acids. Overexpression of DhNiR in rice reduced the time of shoot differentiation and increased the transformation rate, suggesting that DhNiR might play an important role in the regeneration ability of bamboo, and can be applied in regeneration and gene transformation of bamboo and other plant species.     

Screening and Verification of Low Nitrogen Tolerant and Nitrogen Sensitive Cotton Germplasm

[Objective] The aim of this study is to evaluate nitrogen efficient cotton germplasms and improve nitrogen use efficiency. [Method] Eighty cotton germplasms were selected and evaluated in the hydroponic experiment under low (0.25 mmol·L^－1) and high (5 mmol·L^－1) nitrogen concentration. Different traits for screening were identified and nitrogen use efficiency types were classified. Field experiments were also performed for comparison and confirmation of the identified germplasms. [Result] The results showed that there were significant differences in the total plant dry matter, shoot nitrogen accumulation and nitrogen absorption efficiency in cotton germplasms at the two nitrogen levels. Based on coefficient of variation, principal component analysis and correlation, six traits including total plant dry matter, shoot dry matter, root dry matter, total nitrogen accumulation, shoot nitrogen accumulation and nitrogen absorption efficiency were used as screening indicators. According to the Heatmap clustering analysis and the nitrogen efficiency comprehensive index, two germplasms (Lu05R59 and CCRI 69) were identified as low nitrogen tolerant and nitrogen efficient, and two germplasms (Coker 201 and Xinluzhong 30) as low nitrogen sensitive and nitrogen inefficient. The results of field experiment were consistent with the results of the hydroponic culture at the seedling stage. [Conclusion] It was finally determined that Lu05R59 and CCRI 69 were the low nitrogen tolerant and nitrogen efficient germplasms, and Coker 201 and Xinluzhong 30 were low nitrogen sensitive and nitrogen inefficient germplasms. The results of these studies provide the possibility for screening and rapid identification of nitrogen use efficiency in cotton at the seedling stage, and provide the ideal materials and theoretical basis for further study of cotton nitrogen efficient.     

Differential regulation on C5 expression in goose versus mammals by glucose/palmitate provides a potential protection for goose fatty liver

Goose fatty liver is a specific type of nonalcoholic fatty liver that is protected from harmful effects associated with severe steatosis. Our previous findings suggest that suppression of the complement C5 may be relevant, but the mechanism is unclear. Therefore, in this study, we first verified the expression pattern of complement genes (including C5) during goose fatty liver formation and then determined the liver fat content and fatty acid composition by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), followed by selecting the differential metabolites to treat HepG2, goose and mouse primary hepatocytes, aiming to explore the mechanism of C5 and inflammation suppression in goose fatty liver. The data confirmed the suppression of complement genes (including C5) in goose fatty livers. Moreover, fat content was significantly higher in fatty liver versus normal ones, with oleic acid and palmitic acid dominantly accounting for the difference. In line with this, high concentration of palmitate led to down regulation of C5 expression in goose primary hepatocytes whereas upregulation in mouse primary hepatocytes and HepG2 cells. In conclusion, regulation on C5 expression by fatty liver related factors including high level of palmitic acid may contribute to the protection of goose liver from severe hepatic steatosis.     

16份四川小麦生产品种在甘肃陇南抗条锈性表现

小麦条锈病我国小麦生产上的最主要的病害,种植抗病品种是防治该病最经济有效环保的措施。2014—2017年,先后对16份四川省小麦生产品种在甘肃陇南不同生态区的甘谷试验站和汪川良种场两地进行自然诱发鉴定,评价其抗病性。结果发现,所有供试品种均表现感病,川农10号等5份材料具有慢条锈性。     

豚草粗提物对杨树水泡型溃疡病的抑菌作用研究

为解决豚草提取物在林业病虫害防治中的推广与应用问题,以豚草叶片为试验材料,采用温浸-超声波联合提取法提取抑菌活性物质,并开展其对杨树水泡型溃疡病病原菌的室内外抑菌试验。室内抑菌试验表明,粗提物浓度为16 mg/mL时,抑菌率达到73.62%;林间防治试验表明,最小抑菌浓度为 40 mg/mL,抑菌率达到95.14%。通过以上抑菌试验确定豚草粗提物对杨树水泡型溃疡病有较好的抑制效果。     

小麦条锈菌夏孢子在不同温度下离体处理后的致病力研究

以小麦条锈菌高感品种铭贤169为试验材料,设置了-50、-45、-40、-35、-30、-25、-20℃7个不同温度梯度,研究了小麦条锈菌夏孢子离体处理后的致病力。结果表明,在-35~-20℃低温下,条锈菌夏孢子可存活10 d,接种寄主小麦后病叶率2.36%~74.39%,平均严重度0.13%~4.21%;-40℃下可存活8 d,病叶率1.23%~2.78%,平均严重度0.01%~0.29%;-50℃下可存活6 d,病叶率1.04%~1.39%,平均严重度0.01%~0.17%。随着处理温度的降低,夏孢子致病力逐渐下降。在相同温度下,随着夏孢子离体处理时间的延长,致病力亦呈逐渐下降趋势。     

废纸回收材料化利用研究进展

简述了国内外废纸回收利用现状,重点阐述了废纸在建筑填料、制备高附加值纤维衍生物以及复合材料等方面的利用研究现状,并针对废纸材料利用过程中存在的高吸水率和弱结合界面等问题提出了相应的解决方法和研究方向。     

信鸽新城疫并发大肠杆菌病的诊治

鸽新城疫又称鸽瘟或鸽Ⅰ型副粘病毒病 ,是由鸽Ⅰ型副粘病毒引起的一种高度接触性、败血型传染病。主要表现为腹泻、神经紊乱、呼吸困难及浆膜、粘膜出血等 ;鸽大肠杆菌病是由大肠埃希氏杆菌感染所引起的局部或全身性感染的疾病。若新城疫和大肠杆菌并发 ,将给养鸽爱好者以很大的经济损失和精神打击。现将本人在临床上遇到的两起病例介绍给大家 ,以供参考。1发病情况2003年5月初 ,平顶山市郊西信鸽爱好者相继到我中心 ,叙述了其200多只信鸽参赛后大群出现拉稀、精神不振 ,个别眼流泪 ,有神经症状 ,用氟哌酸、阿莫西林、痢特灵、氯霉素治疗 ,…